Magnetic pin detection switch



Jan. 5, 1965 D. E. RooP ETAL 3,164,383

MAGNETIC PIN DETECTION SWITCH Jan. 5, 1965 n. E. RooP ETAL 3,164,383

MAGNETIC PIN DETECTION SWITCH Filed Nov. 24, 1961 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent QFY This invention relates to bowling pin detection means for controlling an indicating apparatus for signaling pin-v fall results following the rolling of a ball on a bowling alley, and more particularlyr'elates to detection means located in the tioor of a bowling alley beneath pin spots arranged in normal triangular array where pins are usual- `ly set on the alley for bowling.

It is a general object ot the invention to provide a new and improved bowling pin detection means` of the type described. f p i `A more specilic object is to provide a new' and imswitch disposed beneath a" pin supporting surface includleast one of which carries magnetic ymaterial responsible to a magnetic iield from a'magnet carried byL a pin on said surface for causing relative movementot the mem-fy bers between switchopen and switch `closedfpositions dependentfupon the presnce and `absence of the pin.

Another object is to provide a new and improved detection means of the typedescribed wherein the pin detecting'switch is sensitivek to the presence of a standing lpin havingy a coaxialk magnet inthe base thereof, whether the pinis standing precisely on a predetermined spot or' within a predetermined oifspot area surrounding thejpin spot. y y Y i it isralso an object of the invention to 'provide a new and improved bowling construction wherein' the pin has attached thereto adjacent the base thereofa coaxial permanent magnet having opposite ends of oppositewmagnetic polarity. p j

Other objects and advantages will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, kin which:

FIG. l is a fragmentary plan view` of a bowling alley embodying the principles of the present. invention;

FlG. 2 is an elevational view of a panel including lamps for indicatinf7 pinfall results following kthe rolling of a ball on the alley; and Y FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through one of the pin spots on the alley approximately at the line 3 3 of FIG. l.k

While `an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, and it should ybe understoodthat the present disclosure is tovbe considered as an exemplification f which pins may beset and along which a ball may be rolled at the pins.v The alley may be comprised of a plural-.ity of laminated side-by-side strips as kat 12 which may bewood, though other materials may be utilized, or

p the alley may be made of a unitary homogenous material,

the latter ot which has been illustrated in FIG. 3 for purposes of simplicity. ItV is intended that pins would be initially set on the alley in the usualtriangular pattern ing a pair of relatively movable switch contact membersat.

ICC

Patented dan. 5 `1965 kat* ten pinspots represented by solid line circles as at 14.

in many bowling establishments nowadays, automatic pmsettmg machines are utilizedfor settingand resetting pins on the alley in proper sequence relationship .to the ballsthrown.k During the process of ak game, it is not un-k machines include pickup and resetting devices whichv are` capable of lifting ottspotpins within a predetermined range and resetting the pins in the olispot position.r4

A typical range of pinpickup is illustrated by the broken line circles l5 in FIG. 1 approximately three times the diameter of the lpin base, thoughthe size may vary'y and thewshape of the oitspot areamay vary from circular f to rectangular or some other shape', depending upon the` ynature of the pin pickup devices. f proveddetection apparatus ,comprising a `pin detecting f In some bowlingalleys, the pinspots i4 aswell as the otispoty areas l'may all form an integral part of a unii' tary construction comprised of wood laininae or of a homogenous material. In other constructions, pin spots and/ or the oltspot areas l5, whether these denne the pinsettcr pickup range or not, may be deiined by inserts in a construction of other material, such inserts beingcomprised of plastic orl the lilrereintorcedwith fiber, for example, to prolong thelite of the'` alley in the arcas where either on spot or oit spot within a range such as that in-` dicated by the areaslS.

i The pin detectingy means at each pinspot comprises.y a lsensing `meansftor distinguishing between a ilrst condition represented' by apin standing on spot oro spot within the area described surrounding the spot and a second condition represented by the total absence ofany pins or by one or more fallen pins within thekdetection area.

ySince the sensing means or detecting devices at the various pinspots are all identical, only one yhas beeny illustrated in ydetailin FIG. 3 for purposes-oi simplicity, but it should be understood that there is a ysimilar device at each of the pin spots. v i

Referring now to FG. 3, each of the detecting devices comprises a pin detecting switch including a circular disclilce movable switch Contact member Ztl of a diameter .corresponding approximately to the outer diameter ot the ofspotdetection area l5. rThe movable switch Contact member is adapted to cooperate with at least one, and preferablyfthree, upright Contactl members as at 2l desirably terminating in pointed upper ends and angularly spaced adjacent the periphery of the member 2li at approximately apart. Contact members 2l aresuitably insulated and supportedin any convenient manner lon abase as at 22 in turn mounted as desired. As illustrated, members 2l arethreadcd for vertical adjustment in carriers 25 mounted on a plate 2liattached to the base 22 as by bolts or screws 25 so that upper ends of the members 2l Vrnay be readily adjusted to fall in a horizontal plane for supporting the Contact member 2) in a horiy.zontal position. The provision of three angularly spaced stationary contacts as atZi all with pointed upper ends at once provides for supportvot the movable Contact Ztl in a horizontal plane and at the same time insures adelsuitably secured to the plate'Zfl.

.3; quate circuit making engagement between the stationary and movable contacts.

As will appear, it is desirable to place the switch contact members as near as practicable to the upper surface of the alley 11, and for this purpose the under side of the alley may berecessed as at 23 to receive the switch contact members at a position well above the lower surface Vof the alley. To assist in maintaining the movable contact member 25B in a horizontal position and to facilitate vertical reciprocal motion of the movable contact, it carries a suitably insulated plunger centrally located and extending downwardly therefrom into an upright tubular guide 31 A concentric coiled spring 32 surrounds the guide 31 and bears between the plate 2f.- Aand the disc 20, urging thelatter upwardly but -with insufiicient torce in and of itself to lift the disc 2t) oit the Contact 21. VAs will appear, this provides a more sensitive operation.

The Vswitch comprising the movable contact 20 and the stationary cont cts 21 isl normally closed in the absence of `a standing pin on the overhead spot 14 or in the adjacent surrounding o'lspot area 15. It is adapted to be opened in response to the presence of a magnetic iield provided by the presence of a standing pin as at 35 on the spot 14 or in the area 15. To this end, the disc contact member 2d has atlixed thereto a circular disc-shaped magnet of similar diameter illustrated bay-reference number 36 and Y polarized axially so that one pole is up ,and the other 1 down. In the absence of a standing pin, the magnet 36 has no eliect on the operation ot' the switch, except of course its weight is takenqinto account in providing a spring` as at 32 which will almost but not quite counter'- balance the weight of the vertically movable parts so that the switch is normally closed but is quite sensitive and may be opened in response to the presence of a suitable -attractive magnetic field provided by the presence of a standing pin as at 35 as will be described.

ln order to providethe necessary magnetic iield associated with the pin 3S for purposes of obtaining operation of the detecting switch, the pin is provided with a permanent magnet 38 attached to the pin base adjacent the lower end thereof. As illustrated, the magnet, is cylindrically shaped and suitably secured as by adhesive means in a concentric recess in the base of the pin so that the lower end of the magnet is flush with the flat lower end of the pin. The magnet 38 is polarized axially with one pole up and the other down, in a manner such that the magnets 36 and 38 attract each other and effect operation of the switch by opening the contacts when a pin is `standing on spot or otfspot within the area 15. In the absence of any pin at all, or in the case of a fallen pin, the iield ofthe magnet 38 is not'elective to cause operation of the switch.

In order to make use of the detecting means described, the switch is preferably connected in circuit with a source as at di), one side of which is connected by a wire 41 to the contact 2% and the other side of which is connected to the stationary contacts 21 as by parallel wires 42a and 42,5, the stationary contacts thereby being wired in parallel so that a circuit will be made when the disc contacts any one or more of the contacts 21. As illustrated herein, the .detecting means controls an indicating means in the form of a lamp 43 connected in the wire 41,

so that the lamp is energized when the switch is closed in the absence of a standing pin, and the lamp is deenergized when the switch is opened in the presence of a standing pin.

The various lamps as at 43 may be arranged on a suitable indicating panel as shown in FlG. 2 at 50, the lamps being arranged on the panel in a triangular array corresponding to the arrangement of pinspots on the alley. Thus, it will be appreciated that the absence of standing pins will be indicated by an energized lamp and the presence of standing pins by a cle-energized lamp.

The provision of a magnet in the pin 35 as compared to the provision merely of magnetically permeable material provides for greater eld strength and more sensitive switch operation than can be provided by the provision of a magnet only in association with the switch. lf a magnet is provided only in association with the switch and only permeable material is provided in the pin, the strength of the magnet in the switch must be sutiicient to temporarilyv convert the permeable material in the pin into a magnet in order to obtain switch operation. Stronger elds and more sensitive operation with less weight are provided by use of two magnets as compared to the use of a single magnet in association with permeable material.

While the switch has been described as normally closed in the absence of a pin and opened in the presence of a pin, it will be understood that the switch could be normally open and closed by the presence of a pin. While the magnets in the switch and pin have been described as vattracting each other in order to obtain switch operation,

it should be understood that the magnets could be re.- pelling in order to obtain switch operation. Although the lamps have been described as energized in the absence of a pin, it should be understood that the lamps could be dejenergized in the absence of a pin and energized in the presence of a pin, and while for purposes of simplicity thereadout or indication means has been illustrated'as lamps, it will be understood that other means may be vutilized such as a relay or more sophisticated means in the Yform of pin counting apparatus.

While the'rnagnct in the piny has beenillustrated as cylindrical in shape,f it should be understood that it may take other forms such as, for example, a tapered shape having the larger end at the top so that the magnet is .retained in place by virtue of its shape, thereby minimizasproviding the greatest strength with the least weight and mass, while the two lirst mentioned forms provide the advantage of being non-metallic in the strict sense of the word.

We'claim:

l. lIn combination: a bowling pin having a coaxial magnet attached thereto adjacent the lower end thereof with opposite ends of the magnet of opposite magnetic polarity; and a detecting device, comprising, an upwardly facing surface for supporting the pin in vstanding position on a predetermined spot, a pin detecting switch beneath said spot including a pair of relatively movable switch contacts including a movable one which carries magnetic material responsive to the magnetic field of said pin magnet for causing relative movement of the contacts between switch open and switch closed positions dependent upon the presence and absence of said standing pin, said magnetic material being disposed throughout an area including said pin spot centrally located therein and of a size 0n the order of at least approximately four times the area of the pin spot thereby to detect a standing pin on said spot or anywhere within said area, and means mounting the movable switch contact for free vertical Vmovement relative to the pin magnet without binding s0 that the detecting means is capable of detecting a pin when it is standing on the pin spot or anywhere within said area.

2. In a bowling pin detecting device,v means providing an upwardly facing surface for supporting a bowling .pin in a standing position on a predetermined pinspot corresponding in size to the base Vof the pinpand in a predetermined area surrounding the spot, and a pin detecting switch disposed beneath said spot including relatively movable switch contact means, at least one of which includes magnetic material responsive to a magnetic neld from a source above said surface at said spot for causing relative movement of the Contact means between switch open and switch closed positions dependent upon the presence and absence of said eld, the magnetic material being disposed throughout an area in excess of the pin base area and responsive to the presence of a lield at the spot and in said predetermined offspot area surrounding the spot.

3. In a blowing pin detecting device, means providing an upwardly facing surface for supporting a bowling pin in a standing position on a predetermined spot corresponding in size to the base of the pin and in a prededetermined area surrounding the spot, a pin detecting switch beneath said spot including an upwardly facing stationary switch contact member and a disc-shaped mos-'4 able switch contact member reciprocable vertically relative to the stationary member between switch open and switch closed positions, gravity means urging the movable member toward the stationary member to switch closed position and a disc magnet carried by the movable member and attractable by the presence of a magnetic iicld from a source above said surface at said spot for cansing movement of the movable member to switch open position, said movable contact member having an att5 tached plunger vertically reciprocably mounted and a coiled compression spring weaker than the gravity means surrounding the plunger in spaced relation thereto and nrginfbr the movable member upwardly towardy switch open position.

4. A combination as dened in ciaim 3, wherein said disc magnet has a diameter substantially in excess of that of said spot for detecting the presence of a field at the spot and in said predetermined oifspot area surrounding the spot.

lietierences Cited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,194,146 Kaiserman Mar. 19, 1940 2,530,896 Metz Nov. 21,1950 2,628,098 Bauerschmidt Feb. 10, 1953 2,966,561 Durant Dec. 27, 1960 2,980,424 Sanders et al. Apr. 1S, 1961 3,011,785 ri`orresen Dec. 5, 1961 3,639,771 Bablonzian et al. lune 19, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 571,565 France Feb. 4, 1924 

2. IN A BOWLING PIN DETECTING DEVICE, MEANS PROVIDING AN UPWARDLY FACING SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING A BOWLING PIN IN A STANDING POSITION ON A PREDETERMINED PINSPOT CORRESPONDING IN SIZE TO THE BASE OF THE PIN AND IN A PREDETERMINED AREA SURROUNDING THE SPOT, AND A PIN DETECTING SWITCH DISPOSED BENEATH SAID SPOT INCLUDING RELATIVELY MOVABLE SWITCH CONTACT MEANS, AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH INCLUDES MAGNETIC MATERIAL RESPONSIVE TO A MAGNETIC FIELD FROM A SOURCE ABOVE SAID SURFACE AT SAID SPOT FOR CAUSING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE CONTACT MEANS BETWEEN SWITCH OPEN AND SWITCH CLOSED POSITIONS DEPENDENT UPON THE PRESENCE AND ABSENCE OF SAID FIELD, THE MAGNETIC MATERIAL BEING DISPOSED THROUGHOUT AN AREA IN EXCESS OF THE PIN BASE AREA AND RESPONSIVE TO THE PRESENCE OF A FIELD AT THE SPOT AND IN SAID PREDETERMINED OFFSPOT AREA SURROUNDING THE SPOT. 